Electrical component, such as a radio, audio component, battery charger or radio/charger

• US 20050264260A1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zick, Jonathan A., Rozwadowski, David J., Santana, George L. Jr., Zeiler, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,471,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electrical component, such as, for example, a radio, an audio component, a battery charger or a radio/charger. The electrical component includes a housing and an electrical circuit supported by the housing. In some aspects, the electrical component is an audio component and the electrical circuit is an audio circuit. In other aspects, the electrical component is a battery charger and the electrical circuit is a charging circuit. In further aspects, the electrical component is an audio and battery charger combined and the electrical circuit is an audio and charging circuit. A battery may be connectable to the housing and electrically connectable the electrical circuit. The electrical component may include a locking assembly operable to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing. A biasing member may be positioned within a receptacle defined by the housing and operable to bias the battery out of the receptacle.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a charging circuit supported by the housing, the charging circuit being selectively connectable to a power source, a power tool battery being connectable to the housing and electrically connectable to the charging circuit, the charging circuit being operable to charge the power tool battery; and

a locking assembly operable to lock the power tool battery in a position relative to the housing.

2. A battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines a receptacle having an open end, the battery being supportable in the receptacle, the housing including a cover selectively closing the open end of the receptacle.

3. A battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the locking assembly includes a locking projection on one of the battery and the housing and a recess defined by the other of the battery and the housing, the locking projection being movable between a locked position, in which the projection engages the recess to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing, and an unlocked position, in which the battery is movable relative to the housing.

4. A battery charger according to claim 3, wherein the locking assembly includes a biasing member biasing the locking projection toward a locked position.

5. A battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a slide-on power tool battery, the housing including a support portion, the support portion selectively supporting the slide-on power tool battery.

6. A battery charger according to claim 5, wherein one of the slide-on power tool battery and the support portion include a projection, the other of the slide-on power tool battery and the support portion defining a recess, the projection being engageable in the recess to support the slide-on power tool battery on the support portion.

7. A battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a tower power tool battery, the housing defining an opening, the opening selectively supporting the tower power tool battery.

8. A battery charger according to claim 7, wherein the tower power tool battery includes a battery insertion portion, the battery insertion portion being engageable in the opening of the housing to support the tower power tool battery on the housing.

9. A battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the power tool battery includes a battery locking assembly to lock the power tool battery to a power tool, the locking assembly cooperating with the battery locking assembly to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing.

10. A battery charger according to claim 9, wherein the battery locking assembly includes a battery locking projection on the power tool battery, the battery locking projection being movable between a locked position, in which the battery locking projection engages a recess on the power tool to lock the power tool battery to the power tool, and an unlocked position, in which the power tool battery is movable relative to the power tool, wherein the locking assembly includes a locking projection on the housing and the battery locking projection provides a recess, the locking projection being movable between a locked position, in which the locking projection engages the recess to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing, and an unlocked position, in which the battery is movable relative to the housing.

11. A battery charger according to claim 10, wherein the housing defines a receptacle having an open end, the battery being supportable in the receptacle, the receptacle defining an axis of insertion extending from the open end of the receptacle to the closed end of the receptacle, and wherein the battery locking projection of the battery locking assembly is movable perpendicularly to the axis of insertion between the locked position and the unlocked position.

12. An electrical component comprising:

a housing defining a receptacle;

an electrical circuit supported by the housing, a battery being supportable in the receptacle and connectable to the electrical circuit; and

a biasing member operable to bias the battery out of the receptacle.

13. An electrical component according to claim 12, wherein the electrical component is an audio component, and wherein the electrical circuit is an audio circuit for producing an audio signal.

14. An electrical component according to claim 12, wherein the electrical component is a battery charger, and wherein the electrical circuit is a charging circuit electrically connectable to the battery and to a power source, and operable to charge the battery.

15. An electrical component according to claim 12, wherein the receptacle has an open end, and wherein the housing includes a cover selectively closing the open end of the receptacle.

16. An electrical component according to claim 15, wherein the cover includes a second biasing member, the second biasing member biasing the battery into the receptacle.

17. An electrical component according to claim 12, wherein the battery is a power tool battery operable to power a power tool, the electrical circuit being electrically connectable to the power tool battery.

18. An electrical component according to claim 17, wherein the battery is a slide-on power tool battery, and wherein the housing includes a support portion, the support portion selectively supporting the slide-on power tool battery.

19. An electrical component according to claim 18, wherein one of the slide-on power tool battery and the support portion include a projection, the other of the slide-on power tool battery and the support portion defining a recess, the projection being engageable in the recess to support the slide-on power tool battery on the support portion.

20. An electrical component according to claim 17, wherein the battery is a tower power tool battery, and wherein the housing defines an opening, the opening selectively supporting the tower power tool battery.

21. An electrical component according to claim 20, wherein the tower power tool battery includes a battery insertion portion, the battery insertion portion being engageable in the opening of the housing to support the tower power tool battery on the housing.

22. An electrical component according to claim 12, further comprising a locking assembly operable to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing.

23. An electrical component according to claim 22, wherein the receptacle has an open end, and wherein the locking assembly includes a cover supported by the housing, the cover selectively closing the open end of the receptacle to lock the battery in the receptacle.

24. An electrical component according to claim 22, further comprising an electrical connector assembly for electrically connecting the battery to the electrical circuit, wherein the locking assembly locks the battery to the electrical connector assembly.

25. An electrical component according to claim 12, further comprising:

an electrical connector assembly for electrically connecting the battery to the electrical circuit, and

a locking assembly operable to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing, the locking assembly locking the electrical connector to the housing.

26. An electrical component according to claim 25, wherein the locking assembly includes a locking projection on one of the electrical connector assembly and the housing and a recess defined by the other of the electrical connector assembly and the housing, the locking projection being movable between a locked position, in which the projection engages the recess to lock the electrical connector assembly in a position relative to the housing, and an unlocked position, in which the electrical connector assembly is movable relative to the housing.

27. A combination comprising:

an electrical component;

a battery, power being transferrable between the battery and the electrical component;

a locking arrangement provided between the battery and the electrical component to selectively lock the battery to the electrical component; and

a battery charger including

a housing,

a charging circuit supported by the housing, the charging circuit being selectively connectable to a power source, the battery being connectable to the housing and electrically connectable to the charging circuit, the charging circuit being operable to charge the battery, and

a locking assembly operable to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing, a portion of the locking assembly being engageable with at least a portion of the locking arrangement to lock the battery in a position relative to the housing.

28. The combination according to claim 27, wherein the electrical component is a power tool and the battery is a power tool battery operable to power the power tool.